Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Keflavik and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,992 in Keflavik, rent and utilities included – about $17,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Keflavik
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Keflavik Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Keflavik

🇮🇸 Iceland

$2,992

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Keflavik and in Istanbul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Keflavik and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,992 per month in Keflavik vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Keflavik $2,992
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $4,538 per month in Keflavik vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Keflavik $4,538
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $6,084 per month in Keflavik vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Keflavik $6,084
Istanbul $3,281

Keflavik costs about 93% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Keflavik and Istanbul sit above the global median – Keflavik by 122%, Istanbul by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.71 ISK 2,997

$12.30 ₺609

100.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 ISK 15.0K

$54.7 ₺2,708

125.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.40 ISK 2,475

$9.22 ₺456

121.26%

Cappuccino

$4.06 ISK 493

$4.40 ₺218

-7.73%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ISK 386

$1.68 ₺83.1

89.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ISK 387

$0.59 ₺29.40

440.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 ISK 970

$4.70 ₺233

70.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.34 ISK 1,012

$5.91 ₺292

41.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ISK 255

$1.21 ₺60.0

73.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.23 ISK 513

$0.89 ₺44.10

375.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ISK 307

$2.19 ₺108

15.53%

Eggs

$6.32 ISK 767

$2.35 ₺116

168.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.06 ISK 2,311

$10.42 ₺516

82.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.38 ISK 2,958

$5.65 ₺280

331.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.25 ISK 5,003

$20.94 ₺1,037

96.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 ISK 301

$1.90 ₺94.1

30.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ISK 304

$2.31 ₺114

8.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 ISK 296

$1.28 ₺63.1

90.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 ISK 486

$1.80 ₺89.0

122.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 ISK 388

$0.65 ₺32.16

392.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 ISK 206

$0.64 ₺31.91

165.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.84 ISK 465

$1.25 ₺62.1

207.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ISK 215

$0.56 ₺27.58

217.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.97 ISK 1,695

$2.37 ₺118

489.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.58 ISK 2,012

$13.42 ₺664

23.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.61 ISK 438

$2.40 ₺119

50.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ISK 356

$3.48 ₺172

-15.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.68 ISK 446

$0.89 ₺43.84

313.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.6 ISK 9,407

$67.4 ₺3,338

15.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 ISK 804

$1.29 ₺64.1

413.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.58 ISK 312

$0.92 ₺45.70

180.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.2 ISK 9,727

$10.96 ₺542

631.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 ISK 255

$1.47 ₺72.9

42.86%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$50.1K ISK 6.1M

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-1.27%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$54.7K ISK 6.6M

$44.5K ₺2.2M

22.80%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$94.8 ISK 11.5K

$88.6 ₺4,387

6.99%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$33.29 ISK 4,038

$11.59 ₺574

187.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.0 ISK 10.3K

$15.81 ₺783

437.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.5 ISK 9,526

$77.2 ₺3,820

1.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$19.48 ISK 2,363

$8.14 ₺403

139.31%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$407 ISK 49.3K

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-59.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.7K ISK 3.1M

$25.6K ₺1.3M

0.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$152 ISK 18.4K

$54.0 ₺2,671

181.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.4 ISK 7,934

$40.83 ₺2,021

60.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$182 ISK 22.0K

$98.9 ₺4,895

83.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 ISK 23.1K

$96.6 ₺4,783

97.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 ISK 230.0K

$985 ₺48.7K

92.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 ISK 161.2K

$650 ₺32.2K

104.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,516 ISK 305.1K

$1,983 ₺98.2K

26.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 ISK 250.0K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

74.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,752 ISK 455.0K

$1,205 ₺59.7K

211.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.81

40.92

-78.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Keflavik: October 12, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Keflavik

$1.3K 44.4%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 51.1% $679

Groceries & Markets

Keflavik

$566 18.9%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 54.1% $306

Eating Out

Keflavik

$390 13%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 42.7% $167

Clothing & Footwear

Keflavik

$265 8.9%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 50.8% $135

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Keflavik

$213 7.1%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 45.6% $97

Sport & Entertainment

Keflavik

$118 3.9%

Istanbul

$93 6% 20.5% $24

Getting Around

Keflavik

$112 3.7%

Istanbul

$77 5% 31.2% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,896 in Keflavik versus $985 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 211% higher in Keflavik, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Keflavik versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $566 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇸 Keflavik

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

00:18 12:18 AM

03:18 3:18 AM

3 h ahead of Keflavik

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,000

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Keflavik Istanbul 4,150 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Keflavik
Istanbul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Keflavik vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Keflavik is pricier by about 93%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,488 per month in Keflavik and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Istanbul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $407 per month in Keflavik and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 118% more in Keflavik, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Keflavik at $2,992. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Keflavik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Istanbul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Keflavik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.